1x12 or 2x12?

[Eilif]

Recently, I had the opportunity to play with a loaner Marshall 1x12 for several weeks, which I "converted" into an extension cabinet for my F-30 1x12. It was really the first time I ever played through more than one speaker, and the fullness of the sound was great! I enjoyed it so much that I am thinking of picking up an extension cabinet but don't know if I should get a 1x12 or a 2x12.

So I'd like to hear from the voices of experience. Will I be giving up anything by not getting a 1x12 and by instead going with a 2x12?

 

[Sub1 Zero]

I would go with a 2x12 myself, I think it would be more useful if you ever play with a band or live

 

[GHWelles]

2x12 really opens up the sound

 

[roburado]

Yeah. 2 x 12 is great, I think. Sometimes, there are big 2x12s that sound, well...bigger too. Maybe, look into something like that.

 

[fsmith]

Go 2x12... I love my Avatar cab.

fred

 

[pantalaimon]

with a 2x12 you also have the opportunity to play around with stereo effects if you need them. there are some really nice stereo chorus effects for example. i'd go for a 2x12!

 

[JMB27]

soundwise, I would go with the 2x12 cab. as noted already, it will allow you to experiment with stereo effects and give an overall bigger projection than a 1x12.

personally, I would also suggest checking out some of the 2x10 cabs on the market - depending on what sorts of tunes and tones you are workin' with

just my .02, ymmv, etc. etc. etc.

happy shopping, eh!

Joel

 

[roburado]

Go 2x12... I love my Avatar cab.

fred

Avatars seem like a great deal. When I finally get around to taking Bruce Egnater's amp-building class, I think I'm going to get an Avatar cab for the amp I build.

What speakers do you have, Fred?

 

[fsmith]

Rob,
I bought the Premier open back cabinet in green to match my Mesa Stiletto Ace with a Hellatone 30 and a Hellatone 60.

I'm thinking about buying another one with a pair of Celestion Blues or Golds.

I thought the price was right and the workmanship is first class all the way.

fred

 

[candid_x]

I prefer 2 1x12 cabs over 1 2x12 cab.

 

[hbucker]

IMO it depends on how you'll use it. Over time, don't discount the portability of a 1x12 and the ease with which you can get it to rehearsals and gigs.

As for sound, the kind of speaker makes more difference than the number of speakers. And for large gigs you'll probably mic your cab anyway. Most of the time you'll only be micing one speaker.

I like 2x12's but I think some of what people talk about with regards to 2 being better than one is lore on some level. If none of what I say resonates with you, buy the 2x12 and cut to the chase. I just can't state point blank that you'll get enough out of the 2x12 to justify the price and size difference.

It's all good. Let us know what you decide.

 

[JMB27]

I prefer 2 1x12 cabs over 1 2x12 cab.

hmmmm 3 single 12s? 1 in combo and 2 separate cabs? with the right length of cable and some effects, I think that would probably be one kick-ass set-up for tones ....

d'oh! now I'm thinking about extra cabs when I should be thinking about more gee-tars

 

[candid_x]

Will I be giving up anything by not getting a 1x12 and by instead going with a 2x12?

I guess this depends on what you like, but I find the following:

Separate 1x12 cabs (or 1x12 ext with a combo) isolates each speaker, which prevents them from canceling out frequencies from each other or creating uncontrolled harmonic distortion. There's an actual term for this, but I don't recall it.

Running a combo plus a 2x12 ext cab may present ohm mismatch. Need to check ohm compatibility.

1x12 ext cab is easier to tote around, either with a head or a combo. Very handy for practices, jams or recording gigs.

You have more control of speaker placement (with a head), including stereo effect, should you wish.

Just my preference.

 

[Astrofreq]

3x12!!!

 

[Larry]

2x12 its opener and seems louder to me that a 1x12

 

[robelinda2]

how about 4x10!!!!!! That rocks!

 

[candid_x]

2x12 its opener and seems louder to me that a 1x12

I was comparing either 2 1x12 cabs or a combo with a 1x12 ext cab, not comparing 1x12 with 2x12.

'Course a whole lot depends on the specific speakers and cabs, i.e. open/closed back, construction, dimensions, etc. Since using Em. Wizards, I actually prefer the sound of running it alone rather than with a second 1x12. First time that's ever happened for me. Love that speaker! Totally opened my amps up.

Rob, for some odd reason I've never noticed a 4x12 or 4x10 as having intermodular distortion issues that I've found in some 2x12 designs. Maybe I just haven't tried the right ones, or perhaps the speakers didn't match the cab, I dunno. My last 2x12 was an Avatar with 1 V30 and 1 H30 Celestions. To me it was nowhere: muffled, boomy and no dynamics.

 

[robelinda2]

i've been impressed with most of the 1x12 combos ive played recently, i havent found many 2x12's to be that great.

 

[candid_x]

i've been impressed with most of the 1x12 combos ive played recently, i havent found many 2x12's to be that great.

If you stuck a separate 1x12 cab alongside the combo, you may be surprised. That's the set up I used for the last 7 years. That or a head on top of 2 1x12 cabs. Only since experimenting with the Wizards have I reduced back to 1x12. That was a nice surprise. Being anal about tone, I always used to have to bring the second cab. Now, it's nice having that modular option without feeling like I'm sacrificing tone.

 

[philiprst]

Have you considered the Mesa Thiele cab? Personally I would be more concerned about how the extension cab matches the one in your combo and whether it is closed or open back more than whether its a 1x12 or 2x12.

The original idea behind multiple speaker cabinets was to increase the power handling and output. The downside is the dispersion. Anyone who has ever listened to a player using a 4x12 in a small venue has experienced the off-stage beaming that results. The difference in tone between a 2x12 and an equivalent 1x12 is probably mostly due to the difference in the cabinet construction which means that the cabinet and baffle flexure resonances are different.

There is also a common misperception that the sound if different because a 2x12 cab has more intermal volume than a 1x12 so it must have more bass. For a closed cabinet what matters is the volume per driver which is the same in both cases.